A royal tour on the Mother Road? June 8, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in People, Road trips.1 comment so far
Britain’s Prince William and his new wife Catherine are set to visit Southern California next month, bringing speculation on where the royal couple will go, reports The Australian newspaper.
The couple announced last week they planned to visit “Los Angeles and surrounding areas” after a seven-city tour of Canada. Visits with soccer star David Beckham and his wife Victoria in Beverly Hills seem likely, as does with Elton John, who owns a home in the region.
Then again, they might prefer to hang out in Santa Monica, home to a huge British population who have long flocked to the sea-front community and its lively pier, end of the world-famous Route 66.
“We are very excited to have the royals coming to California, and would very much welcome a visit from them,” said Lisa Powers, manager of Ye Olde King’s Head pub, steps from the pier and beach.
“A lot of our customers are anticipating that they will show up for a pint of British beer and some fish and chips – we would of course welcome them with open arms.”
The last time British royals visited California was in 1983, by Queen Elizabeth II.
A little of the Land of Lincoln June 7, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Photographs, Road trips.add a comment
Here’s a fast-paced photographic look down Route 66 in Illinois, courtesy of the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway.
A seat at Route 66 Summerfest cruise June 7, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Events, Road trips, Vehicles.add a comment
The video by Judd’s Custom Photos gives you a great vantage point in watching the “Cruise Route 66 to Rolla” event from St. James, Mo., during last weekend’s annual Route 66 Summerfest in Rolla.
Music review: Meanstreet Riders June 6, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motorcycles, Music.add a comment
The Meanstreet Riders proclaim to be a bunch of songwriters who formed out of a love of motorcycles and the open road.
The Florida-based band might also be taking advantage of a lucrative Harley-Davidson audience.
The Meanstreet Riders will release a country-rock CD, “High on the Hog,” sometime next month.
However, all the album’s 10 songs now are available for download from Amazon.com.
In the meantime, the band has:
- Amassed 31,000 fans on its Facebook page. The band also is active on Twitter.
- Gotten a bunch of bloggers to write about the band.
- Prepared a documentary for upcoming release that includes scenes from Route 66.
- Launched a merchandise page online.
- Hung around at Biker Week at Daytona, Fla.
- Helped with fundraising at the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum.
- Licensed its songs to motorcycle-based businesses around the country.
A cynic may see the band’s activities as cashing in. But in an era where it’s become more difficult to make money on music alone, it makes sense for the Meanstreet Riders to build an audience (and revenues) in less-conventional ways. Many music acts that have gained favor with bikers are defunct or at Social Security age; the Meanstreet Riders might as well step into that growing vacuum.
The album’s opener, “High on the Hog,” stands out as the best song. Anchored by Shannon Wallace’s muscular guitar riff that’s reminiscent of The Eagles’ hit “Life in the Fast Lane,” it praises “the sound of that V-twin” and “running with my dawgs” on a “Harley D.” It’s a big, loud, and confident tune that’s worthy of that American-made motorcycle.
The Meanstreet Riders also are at their best when they write songs about specific places. For instance, “129″ tells about the Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap of Highway 129 at the Tennessee-North Carolina border, which boasts a treacherous “318 curves in 11 miles.”
And “I’ve Had a Good Ride” describes a journey to the Sturgis Rally in South Dakota’s Black Hills and the feelings that come with it.
The second half of the album drags a bit, with too many ballads and not enough rambunctious rockers. But the album’s themes of family, friends, road trips, towns, and freedom should strike a chord with travelers along the Mother Road, whether they’re bikers or not.
Download this: “High on the Hog,” “129,” and “I’ve Had a Good Ride”
Part of El Rancho complex will be razed June 5, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motels, Signs.add a comment
Part of the fire-damaged El Rancho Motel complex along Route 66 in Barstow, Calif., will be torn down in the coming months, according to the Desert Dispatch newspaper.
A structure fire that started in the attic in May destroyed the Cedar Restaurant and Travel Store — part of the historic El Rancho hotel building — on the 100 block of East Main Street. [...]
Debbie Brady, the manager of AMG Management, who was hired by All Star Financial, said the historical building can’t be saved.
According to Brady the two units near the El Rancho Motel that include the restaurant and another small building — previously condemned — are set to be destroyed.
“We want to replace the buildings,” Brady said. “We want to make them a viable source for Main Street and get it back up and going again.”
The blaze’s cause hasn’t been determined.
The building’s manager will donate its historical signs — two Route 66 badges in the front of the restaurant and a sign inside the restaurant – to the Mojave River Valley Museum.
Good photos of the El Rancho Motel from 2006 can be seen at The Lope’s blog here.
Aztec Hotel owner loses bid to oust receiver June 5, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motels, Preservation.add a comment
The owner of the Aztec Hotel in Monrovia, Calif., failed in efforts to persuade a bankruptcy judge to remove a receivership company, thus making it more likely the historic and architecturally unique hotel will be sold, according to the Pasadena Star-News.
“I’m not inclined to put the debtor back in possession of this property,” judge Ellen Carroll said during the hearing. “The debtor’s tendency is to make a lot of excuses why things aren’t going well.”
Owner Kathie Reece-McNeill is defending a default notification by lender Tomato Bank, which claims she is more than $100,000 behind in payments. A receivership company appointed by state court, Horwath HTL, has managed the Aztec Hotel and attached Mayan Bar and Grill since late January.
Reece-McNeill and Horwath CEO Joel Hiser have each claimed the other has mismanaged the hotel in court filings.
Reece-McNeill said she fears the hotel will be razed for redevelopment under another owner. According to both parties in the lawsuit, the hotel’s roof needs replacing.
Train arrives at Route 66 Station June 5, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Events, Preservation, Railroad.add a comment
After years of planning, the Frisco Meteor 4500 steam locomotive, along with a passenger car and caboose, were moved today by rail onto the Route 66 Station park at 3700 Southwest Blvd. in west Tulsa.
The move necessitated the closing of Southwest Boulevard (aka Route 66) for two days so track could be laid onto the street from a parallel railroad line to the park.
A group of railroad-buff volunteers, using two Tulsa-Sapulpa Union Railway engines, moved the passenger car and caboose to the park first, then moved the 350-ton Frisco engine that was parked at a nearby oil refinery.
The iron horse was guided about walking speed to the temporary set of tracks on Southwest Boulevard, then moved at an even more glacial pace to the park in an effort to prevent derailments.
Here’s a video about the moving of the train:
An oil tanker car will be placed on the grounds next. The park also serves as the home to the Red Fork Centennial oil derrick. More about the Route 66 Station can be found here.
UPDATE: Here’s a story from the Tulsa World. And here’s a video from KTUL.
Action from the Downhill Derby June 5, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Events.add a comment
The Route 66 Summerfest also was held this weekend in Rolla, Mo. One of the events was the Downhill Derby, a variation of the Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio.
Scenes from the Route 66 Blowout June 4, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Events, Vehicles.3 comments
Here’s what we found at the annual Route 66 Blowout today in Sapulpa, Okla., one of the biggest car shows in northeastern Oklahoma.
A twist on “Route 66″ June 4, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Music.1 comment so far
Jazz pianist Steve Sandner performs a version of Bobby Troup’s “Route 66,” but adds something extra for you residents of Michigan: